Mekong Delta farmers learn integrated pest management

Seven provinces in the Mekong River delta, the country’s granary, are applying Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods on their rice fields to further improve the quality and quantity of rice.

Photo: tinmoi.vn

IPM is considered an advanced agricultural breakthrough basing on the reduction of input expenses in seed, fertilisers and pesticides to ensure ecological balance for rice fields, hence higher productivity and quality and environmental protection can be achieved.

Accordingly, farmers in An Giang, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau are required to reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilisers they use for rice farming by 50 percent and 10 percent, respectively, by 2016.

The efforts are supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s funding of 3.04 million USD sourced from the World Bank, as to realise the second component of the project Water Management for Rural Development in Mekong Delta (WB6).

A survey to identify types and quantity of fertilisers, pesticides and other chemicals used by farmers in the localities is to be carried out while pesticide suppliers will be trained on legal knowledge on the product within the framework of the project.

Source: VNA

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